Friday, January 20, 2012

Etta James, R.I.P.

A classic 1987 performance above by the legendary Bluesy Diva Miss Etta James, accompanied by another legendary vocalist, Dr. John. Etta James died today, just five days shy of her 74th birthday. And of course, there's the song that will always be the one most closely associated with Ms. James, "At Last," which she performs here:

Thanks. This brings back a lot of memories of the early 1980s when one could go and pay $5 to see Etta James play three sets a night Monday to Saturday at Albert's Hall. (The one over the Brunswick Tavern, not the one in London.) My pals and I would wind up going a few nights and while the place was usually packed there were some stormy winter Monday nights where we would have a dozen or less in the place. She was a very funny lady with a quick tongue and a sublime voice.

I was sad to find out that Johnny Otis also died last week. A generation of great musicians has passed but sadly most of the people who listen to artists that have been heavily influenced by those musicians don't even know who they are. In the past two years I took the kids to see Buddy Guy, Bill Morganfield, Mavis Staples, the Blind Boys of Alabama, and a number of artists who are getting up in age and deserve their attention before they pass on. They asked for Dylan and Neil Young but the ticket prices were too high and I did not feel like asking for a seat booster when shelling out that kind of cash.